In the fall of 2001, Samantha Shelton looked out her kitchen window and realized she had houseguests. The visitors—a gray mother cat and her three small kittens—trekked through the yard and settled on the deck of her Buckhead home.

An eclectic and energetic mix of groups are joining forces to combat a common opponent: sex trafficking in metro Atlanta. Nonprofits, faith-based organizations, elected officials, government agencies, law enforcement, and volunteers are using the buildup to next year’s Super Bowl to boost awareness and attack a problem that plagues the area.

One of Atlanta’s most famous sons, Martin Luther King Jr., once said, “Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.” Decades later, thousands of Atlantans volunteer, raise funds, and donate to causes. You don’t have to look far to find local celebrities—from rock star chefs and business moguls—who leverage their fame for good.

Lush greenery softens the edges of Atlanta when viewing the city from a plane, from the upper floors of its many new high-rises, and even on the big screen in the many films for which Atlanta serves as the backdrop. On the ground, the reality of Atlanta’s unbounded development comes sharply into focus.

Since 1961, Atlanta magazine, the city’s premier general interest publication, has served as the authority on Atlanta, providing its readers with a mix of long-form nonfiction, lively lifestyle coverage, in-depth service journalism, and literary essays, columns, and profiles.